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9.d) Designate Newspaper Meeting Date: 1/19/2010 Agenda Item: �' � City Council Agenda Report City of Scandia 14727 209`h St. North Scandia, MN 55073 (651) 433-2274 Action Requested: Designate an official newspaper for 2010. Deadline/ Timeline: Statutory cities must designate an official newspaper at their annual meeting. Background: • The official newspaper is the paper designated for publication of certain notices for meetings,hearings, elections and city finances required by law. • The City has budgeted $2,500 for legal notice publications in 2010. In 2009 and 2008, the city spent$1,657 and $2,462, respectively. • Proposals were requested from the Forest Lake Times/ECM Publishers (the current legal newspaper),the Country Messenger and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The Pioneer Press did not submit a proposal. A chart comparing the proposals received from the Forest Lake Times and the Country Messenger are attached. • State law(Minn. Stat. 331A.02)provides specific qualifications a legal newspaper must meet. In previous years, the Country Messenger was disqualified from serving as the legal newspaper because it did not meet those requirements. • Since the 2009 official newspaper was selected,the state law was changed to reduce the circulation requirement from 500 to 400. The Attorney General also issued an opinion finding that a newspaper may satisfy the requirements of the law where its known office of issue is in an out-of-state county adjacent to a Minnesota County. The City Attorney has reviewed this information, and indicated that he will not object on legal grounds to�the designation of the Country Messenger as the city's official newspaper. Recommendation: I recommend that the Council designate the official newspaper for 2010. Attachmentsl • Comparison of Proposals Materials provided: . Letter dated December 10, 2008 from ECM Publishers, Inc. • Letter dated January 11, 2009 from the Country Messenger Contact(s): Prepared by: Anne Hurlburt, Administrator (legal newspaper) Page 1 of 2 O1/14/10 City of Scandia Comparison of Legal Newspaper Proposals January, 2010 News a er Forest Lake Times Countr Messen er Meets Requirements of Yes Yes Minnesota Statutes 331A.02 Office Location Forest Lake, Minnesota Osceola, Wisconsin Total Circulation 13,680 1,325 Scandia Circulation 1,100 442 Distributed by route carriers in U.S. Mail 55073 zip code,newspaper Newsstand locations Scandia Distribution Method rack at Scandia Community Olde Town Liquor,Todd's Center Farm and Home, Scandia Store Free distribution SubscripNon Price Mailed subscription $26.00 per year $48.00/ $43.00 senior rate $0.75 single copy Publication Schedule Weekly,Thursday Weekly, Wednesday Submission Deadline Monday, 5:00 p.m. Friday,Noon Type Size/Lines per Inch 6 pt/ 11 lines per inch 6 pb 11 lines per inch Price per Column Inch $6.45 $4.00 Posted on Paper's Website, Yes Yes ' No Extra Charge Page 2 of 2 O1/14/10 � � �;� .T►►1'1'13t'w ' � OREST AKE IMES ; � ; �J � i ECM Publishers, Inc. 880 SW 15th Street Forest Lake, MN 55025 651-464-4601 • Fax 651-464-4605 December 10, 2009 ��,�,���f�� Ms. Anne Hurlburt, Administrator [i�� '� �j ?(��� City of Scandia 14727 209�h St. CITY OF SCANDlA Scandia, MN 55073 Dear Anne: The Forest Lake Times would like to bid for legal printing status as the designated Official Newspaper for the City of Scandia. The Forest Lake Times is qualified by the State of Minnesota as a Legal Newspaper under Minnesota Statutes Section 331A.02, subd. 1(i). The bid to publish legal notices in the Forest Lake Times for the year 2010 will be $6.45 per column inch with 6 point type and 11 lines per inch. The notice will also be posted on our website, ������w.forestlaketimes.com/publicnotices.html for all to view for free and at no charge to the city. The current circulation is about 13,680, including 1,100 households from the 55073 zip code which are delivered by route carriers to the black tubes. We would prefer legal notices emailed to le4als.cbflnb@ecm-inc.com. Our deadline is at 5:00 p.m. on Monday for Thursday publication. We look forward to continuing to serve the residents of the City of Scandia. Si erely, ,.-� , ; (. -�,� -- St��e Rajtar Manager Forest Lake Times Publishers of.• Forest Lake Times • St. Croix Valley Peach • ECM Post Review • Commercial Web Printing� Commercial Sheetfed Printing • Community Guides ountir es s en er Newspaper P.O.Box 96, Scandia, MN 55073 651-433-3845• FAX 651-433-3158 January 11, 2010 Anne Hurlburt City of Scandia P.O. Box 128 Scandia, MN 55073 Dear Ms. Hurlburt: As the only local paper covering news and information weekly for the City of Scandia and the sur- rounding areas,we desperately need you to consider the Country Messenger as your legal newspa- per. Note an outstanding 3% growth from 2008 circulation 429 to 2009 circulation 442 The Country Messenger: • Our publication prints on Tuesday and is delivered to homes on Wednesday. Legals should be submitted by Friday at noon. •The rate is$4.00 per column inch. •Type size of 6 pt. and 11 lines per inch. • Our total circulation is 1,325 and Scandia's circulation is 442. •Distributed through the USPS and the following newsstand locations. Scandia Old Town Liquor, Todd's Farm and Home and Scandia, Store. • Also all legal notices that publish in the Country Messenger will be displayed online at www. countrymessenger.com at no additional charge. As per the recently amended Minnesota statutes, we believe we qualify as a legal newspaper. (See attachment). Our goal is to provide the best possible coverage of the local people, news, events and govern- ment. If you have any questions,please feel free to contact me at anytime.We look forward to continuing to serve you and the community. Sincerely, ��. Carter Johnson Publisher Sun & Country Messenger